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Mars Exploration Rovers Update:Opportunity Crunches Homestake, Scouts Locales for Winter
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/11/30 10:24 CST
Opportunity roved toward the end of its eighth year of exploration on the Red Planet and chalking up yet another "exciting" textbook discovery for the Mars mission.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Heads for New Discovery as Winter Blows In at Cape York
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/10/31 11:24 CDT
Opportunity roved on this month, driving alongside the rim of Endeavour Crater toward the northern end of Cape York in search of more science gold and a place to hunker down for winter.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Digs In at Endeavour Crater, Team Remembers 9/11
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/09/30 11:24 CDT
Since leaving the plains of Meridiani, pulling up to Endeavour Crater and checking out its first rock last month, Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has wasted no time in getting the "new mission" underway.
The latest HiRISE view of Opportunity, on Endeavour's rim
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/09/24 10:19 CDT
The latest HiRISE view of Opportunity, on Endeavour's rim
Mars Exploration Rover Update: Opportunity Finds Martian Mystery at Endeavour Crater
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/09/01 11:24 CDT
More than seven and a half years after landing, Opportunity arrived at its long-anticipated destination, the rim of Endeavour Crater, and in less than three weeks found something strange enough to launch a new Martian mystery.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update:Opportunity Arrives at Endeavour Crater, Mission Begins Anew
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/08/31 11:24 CDT
The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission roves back into the exploration spotlight this month as Opportunity arrives at the rim of Endeavour Crater, a destination that wasn�t even an impossible dream when the rover landed back in January 2004.
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/08/10 02:09 CDT
Opportunity's wheels are on a whole new different kind of rock: she has arrived at the rim of Endeavour crater, on Cape York.
Spirit Point and Odyssey crater in sight, and new rock under Opportunity's wheels
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/08/07 04:26 CDT
Spirit Point and Odyssey crater in sight, and new rock under Opportunity's wheels
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Closes in on Endeavour as Team Bids Farewell to Spirit
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/07/31 11:24 CDT
Opportunity seemed to sail with the wind behind her back toward the western rim of Endeavour Crater this month as the Mars Exploration Rover team shifted gears in preparation for a whole new adventure, taking time out only to bid a final farewell both privately and publicly to Spirit.
Opportunity's horizon rises -- and maybe brings Cape York into view
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/07/21 03:12 CDT
Opportunity's horizon rises -- and maybe brings Cape York into view
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Roves Back into Record Books, Spirit is Honored
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/06/30 12:00 CDT
Opportunity 'burned up' the Meridiani Plains in June as it raced toward its much-anticipated next destination and the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission cruised into the 90th month of what was originally to have been a 90-day tour.
In Memory of Spirit, and Why Cuteness Matters
Posted by Melissa Rice on 2011/06/15 02:21 CDT
An analysis of "cuteness", and why it matters when talking about science.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Mission Declared Over, Opportunity Roves Closer to Endeavour
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/05/31 12:00 CDT
The Mars Exploration mission suffered the loss of Spirit and shifted to one-rover operations in May, but Opportunity carried on, blasting across the plains of Meridiani to within 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) of its next major destination and discovery.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: NASA Ends Spirit Mission
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/05/26 12:00 CDT
The intensified effort to recover Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit came to an end early Wednesday morning Pacific time and NASA has now transitioned the mission to a single-rover operation focused on Spirit's still-active twin, Opportunity.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Recovery Attempt Continues, Opportunity Sprints to Endeavour
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/04/30 12:00 CDT
As Opportunity drove her little robot heart out, breaking the 28-kilometer mark on her odometer, and driving the longest backward drive ever, April proved to be another month of exhilarating highs for the Mars Exploration Rover mission and one extended low with only silence from Spirit, despite intensified efforts by her Earth crew to establish contact.
365 Days of Astronomy Podcast: What's up in the second quarter of 2011
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/04/07 11:16 CDT
Regular readers of this blog will find the content of today's 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast familiar, because it's an update on what the solar system exploration spacecraft are up to, based on my monthly "what's up" updates.
Welcome to Carnival of Space #191
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/04/05 11:25 CDT
Welcome, everyone, to the Planetary Society Blog for the 191st Carnival of Space! Every week, a different webmaster or blogger hosts the Carnival, showcasing articles written on the topic of space.
What's up in the solar system in April 2011
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/03/31 03:59 CDT
April 2011 will see MESSENGER begin the science phase of its orbital mission at Mercury, and should, I think, also see the start of Dawn's approach observations of Vesta. At Mars, Opportunity is back on the road again, rolling inexorably toward Endeavour. At Saturn, Cassini will continue its focus on Saturn and Titan science.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit's Silence Haunts, Opportunity Roves on to Endeavour
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2011/03/31 12:00 CDT
The Mars Exploration Rover mission experienced a month of highs tempered by one haunting low as it neared completion of its 87th month of a three-month tour this month. While Opportunity wrapped up its work at the youngest, freshest crater the rovers have explored to date, Spirit remained silent as the point of maximum sunshine for the Martian year came and went, further dimming once high hopes that the rover would phone home and rove on as summer settled on the southern hemisphere of Mars.
LPSC 2011: Day 3: Moon, Mars, and Venus
Posted by Ted Stryk on 2011/03/10 11:11 CST
Wednesday morning included some interesting conversations. Notably, I spoke with Pamela Gay, who is responsible for the MoonZoo citizen science program and who is presently working on developing a site through which the public will be able to help search for potential Kuiper belt objects for the New Horizons mission to encounter after the Pluto flyby.
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